Pop-out handle and lock assembly



Feb. 7, 1967 R. DAUENBAUGH ET AL 3,302,434

POP-OUT HANDLE AND ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets Sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1964 6 ofl 3 .6 g \Q m m m i a .4 n LL. h F; a. 4L J W; a j

United States Patent 3,302,434 POP-OUT HANDLE AND LUCK ASSEMBLY Robert L. Dauenbaugh, Rockford, and Robert K. lUnter, Roscoe, lill., assignors to National Lock (10., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed .Iune 19, M64, Ser. No. 376,324 1 Claim. (Cl. 70208) The present invention relates to a pop-out handle and lock assembly for the closure and cabinet of a vending machine or other enclosure and more particularly to a novel pop-out or sprin g biased handle and lock mounted in a door or other closure and provided with a novel clutch means movable into and out of clutching engagement with a cooperating clutch means on a drive spindle having latching means thereon engageable with a cooperating strike or latch means on the cabinet or enclosure.

To make it difficult for an unauthorized person gaining access to the interior of the cabinet, many commercially available vending machines do not have a handle or the like capable of being gripped and manipulated to open the door or hinged closure to obtain access to the cabinet. Thus, access for servicing, replenishment of stock and/or collection of money deposited therein is had by means of a key-operated lock. As many of these machines, especially for vending soft drinks, etc., include a relatively heavy resilient gasket to seal the enclosure and decrease heat transfer between the surrounding atmosphere and the interior of the machine, to lock the closure the gasket must be compressed upon the closing and locking of the door to provide an adequate seal, and an operator without effective means for drawing the closure into sealing engagement frequently has difficulty exerting suflicient pressure to compress the gasket and simultaneously lock the closure without danger of breaking the key and/or damaging the lock.

To provide an effective means for readily and easily compressing the gasket and thereupon locking the closure in its closed position, it is'contemplated to provide the assembly with a draw shaft rotated by a handle projected outwardly from the closure, and when the closure is closed the handle is forced inwardly where it is conformably received and retained in a pocket in the encompassing housing. In the latter inoperative position, the handle can only be released by an operator having the proper key for unlocking the handle which is then spring-biased to its extended or withdrawn position in which it may be grasped by the operator and turned to release and open the closure.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a lock assembly for a vending machine cabinet or other enclosure having a handle resiliently biased toward its extended and operative position from its normally inoperative position in which it is housed in a pocket of the encompassing casing, the handle being automatically released upon actuation of a key-operated cylinder lock and clutched to a drive spindle whereby an operator or ser-viceman can utilize the handle for leverage to unlock and open the door or hinged closure of the cabinet. When the handle is in its inoperative position in the recess or pocket, there are no protruding parts capable of being grasped, twisted or damaged to gain access to the interior of the cabinet.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a novel clutch arrangement including clutching means on the rearward extension of the handle and cooperating clutching means on the forward end of the drive spindle. These cooperating clutching means engage when the handle is resiliently urged to its projected or extended position and are disengaged upon partial retraction of or rearward pressure applied to the handle whereupon the handle may be freely rotated and properly 3,302,434 Patented Feb. 7, I967 aligned with the pocket of the handle in the casing housing the assembly, into which it may be depressed when the door is closed in sealing engagement.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a handle which when projected and the cooperating clutch means are engaged will upon manual rotation release or engage the door latch so that the vending machine may be opened or closed for any desired purpose. Utilization of the rotatable handle provides sufficient leverage for compression of the sealing gasket as the door latch is engaged to properly seal the interior of the vending machine.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a handle which is resiliently urged outward or forwardly to a projected position and is adapted to accommodate any one of a variety of key-operated locks. The lock actuates a resiliently biased lock bolt which extends through an opening in the rearwardly extending portion of the handle and cooperates with a coinciding opening in the pocket for the handle to retain the handle in its retracted position.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed there-by.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a pop-out handle and lock assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of the assembly shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational View of the pop-out handle and lock assembly.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational View of the handle pocket shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, with the rear end in cross section of the handle.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of the handle.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the drive spindle.

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view of the drive spindle of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross sectional view of the assembly similar to FIG. 2, showing the handle biased to its projected position with the clutching elements engaged, but with an alternate embodiment of drive spindle provided with a roll pin shown engaged with a cam strike plate aflixed to the cabinet.

FIG. 10 is a side elevational View of the alternate embodiment of drive spindle.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of a form of cam strike adapted to cooperate with the drive spindle shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein is shown illustrative embodiments of the pop-out handle and lock assembly, FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose a pop-out handle and lock assembly 10 having a handle pocket or casing 11, a handle 12 containing a suitable lock 13, such as a tumbler lock, and a drive spindle 14. The handle pocket 11 includes an escutcheon 15 having spaced openings 16 in the rear wall 17 to accommodate suitable securing means or screws to attach the handle pocket to a door or hinged closure of a vending machine (not shown). A cylindrical housing 18 extends rearwardly from the escutcheon 15 and is adapted to extend through a suitable opening in the door.

The housing 18 defines a generally cylindrical chamber for the handle 12 and terminates in a rear bearing wall 19 having a central opening 21 to receive the drive spindle 14. Adjacent the escutcheon, the cylindrical housing includes at least one pair of oppositely disposed openings 22 to receive a latch bolt to be later described.

The handle 12 has a generally cylindrical hub 23 with oppositely disposed arms 24 at the forward end thereof forming a generally rectangular gripping portion conformably received within a recess r pocket 25 in the escutcheon 15. A key-operated cylinder lock 13 of suitable design is received in and suitably secured in the forward end of the hub 23 and operates a resiliently biased latch bolt 26 by a key 27. The hub 23 includes two pair of diametrically or oppositely disposed openings 28 and 28 (FIG. one pair being removed 90 from the other pair. These openings coincide with similar openings 22 in the cylindrical housing 18 so that the latch bolt 26 can be utilized with dififerent cylinder locks with the latch bolt being projected into and received in one of the two opposite openings of either pair for each retracted position of the handle; these positions occurring at the postion shown in FIG. 2 and a position with the handle rotated through 180.

The hub 23 at its inner end terminates in a radially inwardly extending flange 29 defining a central opening 31; said flange having four equispaced longitudinal slots or grooves 32 in the inner periphery thereof to form a clutch element on the handle.

The drive spindle 14, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, includes a cylindrical shaft 33: terminating in an enlarged head 34 which is received in the cylindrical body 23 of the handle 12. The diameter of the enlarged head 34 is greater than the inner diameter of the flange 29 so that the shaft 33 cannot be removed through the opening 31. A pair of longitudinally extending lugs 35 are formed on the head on opposite sides thereof and are adapted to be received within two opposite slots or grooves 32 in the flange 2? for clutching engagement.

The shaft 33 adjacent but spaced from its opposite or inner end is threaded at 36 and terminates in a reduced diameter shank 3'7 with a conical rounded end 38. The threaded portion as is adapted to threadingly engage and cooperate with a latching nut 39 (FIG. 2) suitably mounted on the cabinet or other enclosure (not shown). A pair of spaced grooves 41, 41 0n the shaft 33 are adapted to be positioned on each side of the rear wall 19, and each receives a retaining ring 4-2, 42 to prevent longitudinal movement of the drive spindle 141 relative to the handle pocket 11.

A washer 43 is mounted on the drive spindle 14- between the retaining ring 42* and the rear Wall 19 of the housing 18. A helical spring 4 1 which telescopes when compressed is mounted on the drive spindle 14 with the small diameter end bearing against the retaining ring 4-2 and the larger diameter end bearing against the exterior surface of the flange 29 on the hub 23 of the handle. This spring tends to urge the handle 12 to its projected position.

The hub 23 of the handle 12 includes a pair of longitudinally extending oppositely disposed elongated ribs or keys 45 adapted to be received within a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinally extending grooves or keyways 46 on the interior surface of the cylindrical housing 18 to properly align and orient the handle 12 relative to the handle pocket 11 for retraction of the handle there into. The ribs 45 are of such a length as to permit disengagement of the lugs 35 on the enlarged head 34 of the spindle 14 from the slots 32 in the flange 29 on the hub 23 of the handle 12 so that the handle may be rotated relative to the drive spindle 14 prior to entering of the ribs 45 in the grooves 46 and retraction of the handle 12 into the handle pocket 11.

In operation, with the handle 12 in its retracted locked position in the pocket as shown in FIG. 2, the operator or service man inserts the proper key 27 into the cylinder lock 13 and, upon rotation, retracts the latch bolt 26 into the hub or cylindrical body 23 of the handle. The helical spring 44 held 'under compression urges the handle 12 to its projected position with reciprocable movement of the handle limited by engagement of the flange 29 with the enlarged head 34. If the lugs 35 are not automatically aligned and received in a pair of the slots 32, slight rotational movement of the handle 12 will allow proper engagement so that the handle and the drive sprindle 14 are clutched and rotate together. Counterclockwise rotation of the handle 12 and spindle 14 disengage the threaded portion 36 of the spindle from the latch nut 39 so that the door or hinged closure of the enclosure may be released and opened.

When the door is closed, the handle 12 is rotated clockwise until the spindle 14 clutched thereto threadingly engages the latch nut 39 until the sealing gasket is sufficiently compressed to effect proper sealing engagement and then the handle may be retracted by being pushed inwardly. The latch bolt 26 has a camming surface 47 which, upon contact with the interior of the housing 18, acts to retract the spring-actuated latch bolt. If the handle is not properly aligned with the handle pocket 15 after sealing is effected, the handle may be partially retracted or pressed inwardly to disengage the slots 32 from the lugs 35 on the enlarged head 34 so that the handle can be rotated freely and independently of the spindle 14 until the ribs 45 are aligned with the grooves 46 in the housing 18, at which time the handle is retracted against the force of the spring 44 until the latch bolt 26 is aligned with and urged into one of the openings 22 in the cylindrical housing 13. Thus, the operator is prevented from turning the spindle too far or retracting the spindle from the proper locking position when aligning the handle 12 for reception in the handle pocket 11.

FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 disclose an alternate embodiment of a drive spindle 14 utilized with a cam strike. In either embodiment, the drive spindle may be of any suitable length depending on the particular application required and the thickness of the closure. The drive spindle 14 shown in FIG. 10 has an enlarged head 48 and lugs 45 identical to the embodiment of the spindle shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. However, instead of the threaded portion on the inner end of the spindle, this embodiment has a diametrically extending opening 51 through the spindle for the reception of a roll pin 52 extending through the spindle. The projecting ends of this roll pin are adapted to project through a cam strike plate 53 having a central opening 54 defined by inclined camming surfaces 55. In operation, when the spindle 14 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the ends of the roll pin 52 are inserted into and project through the radial extensions 56 of the opening 54 and pass under the camming surfaces 55 to draw the door into the seated position with its enclosure. The spindle 14 has a rounded conical end 57 extending beyond the roll pin 52.

Having thus disclosed the invention, we claim:

A pop-out handle and lock assembly comprising a handle pocket with an escutcheon at one end having a recess therein, a rear bearing wall having a central opening at the opposite end and a generally cylindrical housing bridging said escutcheon and rear wall, a handle having a gripping portion and a rearwardly extending generally cylindrical hub mounted in the handle pocket for longitudinal reciprocation therein between a retracted position with the handle received in the recess in the escutcheon and a projected position where the handle is free of the recess and adapted to be grasped by an operator, a cylinder lock mounted in and movable with said handle, a lock bolt actuated by said cylinder lock and adapted to be received in aligned openings in said hub and said cylindrical housing to retain said handle in its retracted position, said hub having a central chamber and a radially inwardly extending flange defining the rear end of said hub with a central opening therein, said flange having four equispaced longitudinal slots in the periphery of the opening, to drive spindle extending through the central opening in the rear wall of the handle pocket and the opening defined by the slotted flange into the chamber of the hub, an enlarged head on the inner end of the drive spindle of a diameter greater than the inner peripheral diameter of said flange, a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally and rearwardly extending lugs on said spindle projecting rearwardly of said head and adapted to be oonformably received in one of the opposed pairs of slots in the radial flange of the hub when the handle is moved to its outwardly projected position so that the handle and drive spindle rotate as a unit and provide a positive drive connection, said lugs being of such a length that they will be disengaged from the radial flange when the handle is partially retracted to permit rotation of the handle independently of the drive spindle, interengaging means on said drive spindle cooperating with the rear wall of the handle pocket to prevent longitudinal movement of said spindle, a helical spring mounted about the spindle in said cylindrical housing to yieldably urge the hub and handle to a projected position, and latch means on the opposite end of the spindle adapted to cooperate with a suitable strike, a pair of opposed elongated and longitudinally extending ribs on the exterior of the cylindrical hub adjacent to the gripping portion of the handle, said cylindrical housing having a pair of opposed and longitudinally extending grooves on the interior surface of the cylindrical housing to conformably receive the aligned ribs when the handle is properly aligned with the escutcheon recess to allow retraction of the handle into said recess, said ribs being of a length permitting disengagement of the rearwardly extending lugs on the drive spindle from the slots in the flanged end of the hub of the handle so that the handle may be rotated relative to the drive spindle prior to full retraction of the handle into the recess of the escutcheon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 548,418 10/1895 Ball 70-223 1,944,642 1/1934 Holbrook 70-208 2,437,207 3/1948 Noxon 192-67 2,547,630 4/1951 Evans 192-67 2,797,464 7/1957 Zahodiakin 24-2212 3,089,329 5/1963 Kerr 70-208 X 3,122,012 2/ 1964 Christopher 70-208 X 3,222,899 12/1965 Bodoh et al. 70-208 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner. 

